The New Order: A Harry Potter FanFic
by Alani Lin
Summary: My first Fan Fiction. A Harry Potter fanfiction.
1. Default Chapter

The clock on the wall was motionless. Ten-year-old Jaidon watched - waited. He sat in his mother's wicker rocking chair, rocking back in forth in a slow, monotonous fashion. His legs were barely long enough for his feet to touch the floor. He gripped either side of the chair by its arms. His palms were clammy, his hands pale. He grew increasingly impatient, staring at the faces on the clock. His father's face stood out the most.  
  
He knew his dad would be home at any second. He always came home from work at the same time, unless there was something that kept him late (which was really rare).  
  
His mother had told him to sit tight in the rocking chair and wait for his dad to get home. Of course, she'd said it in a rather angry tone. Apparently, "borrowing" your big sister's wand to jinx the garden gnomes was a bad idea. He'd just never known his mum could get so mad. She'd begun to take on some of her mother's less appealing traits. Thankfully, his dad was always cool and levelheaded about stuff like that. Dad just seemed to know.  
  
Leila, Jaidon's older sister, came prancing into the room. She wore a hostile look on her face. She was almost the spitting image of her mother when she was angry. She had the same long, red hair and freckles. Same pale white skin. Same button nose and thin lips that curled when she was holding back from yelling at Jaidon. The only resemblance she shared with her father were her almond-shaped eyes and the glasses that covered them. However, her eyes, unlike her father's, were hazel.  
  
Jaidon was the one that looked like his father- the dark messy mop of hair, the slightly hooked nose, the glasses, and the clear skin. The only difference was the scar. Jaidon always thought his dad rather handsome, if only it weren't for the ugly lightning-shaped scar he had on his forehead. Although Jaidon didn't know what the scar was from, he knew his father liked to keep it covered up with his messy black hair.  
  
Leila stood in front of Jaidon, her arms folded across her chest.  
  
"So, been up to no good today, Jaidon?" she asked him tauntingly. "Y'know, Mum is furious about those garden gnomes. She's been out there trying to break those jinxes you put on the poor things."  
  
"How could you pity them?!" Jaidon exclaimed. "Those gnomes are so annoying! The always chase Ferret, they dig up the flowers instead of the weeds, and they pee on everything! How could you, in your right mind, feel any sympathy towards them?"  
  
"Ugh, you're so stupid," Leila replied. She put her hands on her hips, in her Mum-like manner, and continued, "Plus the fact that you broke about ten Ministry laws doesn't help. This is going to help ruin your record - and you haven't even started school yet! Oh, you'll be just like Uncle Fred and Uncle George, I swear."  
  
"Wow, Leila, you sound more like Mother every day."  
  
"Hmmph!" She turned and stomped out of the room, offended by what he'd said. He couldn't help but grin in satisfaction. He loved making her stark mad.  
  
Finally, the clock on the wall changed. The "Dad" hand moved from work to home.  
  
Harry apparated home from work. Jaidon wished he could apparate and disapparate. He'd apparate somewhere far from Leila. Very, very far from Leila.  
  
Harry Potter was always glad to come home to a welcoming household, something he had not experienced much when he was younger. Harry set his cloak and wand down on the kitchen table, and went over to Jaidon to say hello.  
  
When Jaidon didn't say "hello" back, Harry knew something was up.  
  
"What's wrong, Jai?" he asked, expressing only true care for his only son.  
  
Jaidon's gaze shifted from the wall to the floor. He started cracking his knuckles, which happened to be his worst bad habit.  
  
"Come on, you can tell me."  
  
Jaidon still didn't really know what to say. Instead, he shoved the letter of warning from the Ministry into his father's hands. Harry took one look at it and immediately knew what it was. He'd received a couple of them in his days of youthful folly as well.  
  
"What happened?" Harry asked quietly. "Don't tell me you levitated Maeve's favorite stuffed bear again."  
  
Jaidon nodded. This obviously was not his first offense. However, it was likely more serious, since muggles might have been watching.  
  
"Well..." Jaidon finally spoke, only in a barely audible voice.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"It's like this..." Jaidon paused. He looked to his father, who nodded his head, motioning for him to continue. He drew in a deep breath and continued. "You see, I was bored, right? And there really was nothing to do! Really! And then, then..."  
  
Oh, bloody hell, he thought. Just spit it out. He won't yell like Mum. He's different.  
  
However, before he could speak again, Ginny Potter had entered the room, holding Maeve (Jaidon's younger sister, who was also a bit of a troublemaker). Ginny put Maeve down, who immediately rushed into her father's arms. She gave him a kiss on the cheek then ran off at high speed, scaring the house elves as she burst through the kitchen. Ginny wanted to scream at her to slow down, but the child never listened.  
  
"Well, Harry, I see you've read the warning your son received this afternoon from the Ministry of Magic," she said with lips pressed together.  
  
"Yes, I have. I recognized it, knew what it was when I saw it. Didn't have to read its contents," Harry replied. "You surely remember I got a few myself when I was a kid."  
  
"Oh, how could I forget? Fred and George had thrice as many a piece!"  
  
"Anyway, Jaidon here was about to tell me the story, weren't you?" he said, eyeing Jaidon. Jaidon nodded.  
  
"Right," Jai said. "Mum and Maeve were out in the front yard trying to pull the Burning Bush out of the ground. It'd caught the neighbor's cat on fire when it tried to piss on it. Anyway, Leila wouldn't go have a quick Quidditch match with me, so I went out back and was just tossing the Quaffle about, and then I saw three of the garden gnomes trying to eat Mum's Delirium Daffodils. I knew I'd get blamed for it somehow, like I usually do, so I decided to try and stop them."  
  
"And did you?" Harry inquired.  
  
"Of course I did! I found Leila's wand in the cupboard. Then I went back outside and did the "Densaugeo" thingy, and bam! They sprouted these humongous teeth, so then they started eating more of the plants, and I did the "Mobilarbus" on them to levitate them away."  
  
"And you actually successfully completed two spells that you shouldn't even know until after a couple years at school! That's amazing!"  
  
Ginny didn't think it was so amazing though. She gave a slight growl and said, "It's also amazing he hasn't gotten a letter from McGonnagall saying he cannot attend Hogwarts!"  
  
"Oh, Ginny, you know McGonnagall! She would never ban a student just for a few minor charges."  
  
"So...you don't hate me, Dad?" Jaidon asked solemnly.  
  
Harry could've almost laughed, but that laughter he suppressed. "Of course I don't hate you! I don't see how I could ever hate you, not even if you landed yourself in Azkaban."  
  
"Mum hates me."  
  
Ginny sighed. "I do not hate you, Jaidon. I simply do not like the fact that you're doing magic - and you're only ten! You've had no schooling, no lessons - except from what your father has showed you - and, oh! I'm really starting to become my mother..."  
  
She looked a bit disgusted with herself. She shook her clenched fists and flounced out of the room in a fit. Harry and Jaidon exchanged a look of surprise.  
  
"Well," Harry said, "If that's all there is...just, um, try not to do any more magic outside of school. Alright? And especially don't go blowing up any relatives..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind. So, have you heard from your cousins yet? I think your uncles are planning on going into Diagon Alley for school shopping tomorrow. Your mother is planning on us meeting them there. I know it will be rather...strange...all twenty-seven of us, I mean. Twenty-nine if Ron and Soleil are there."  
  
"How come Uncle Ron is never around?" Jaidon asked quietly. He knew his father and uncle had had a row a while back, and really they had not talked much since. He didn't know what they'd argued over, only that it was something important.  
  
Harry sighed. "Your uncle and I are both busy. He's the head of the Department of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. And, of course, being an Auror is really time consuming."  
  
Jaidon decided it was unwise to inquire further about the matter. Instead, he asked something else.  
  
"Hey Dad, do you think...perhaps..."  
  
"Yes, Jaidon?"  
  
"That...that I can, um, get a broomstick? Seeing as I've never had a proper one. Just for home. I won't have it at school, since we're not supposed to. But the Comet Six Thousands we have just aren't that good anymore, and I really hope to make the Gryffindor Quidditch team next year..."  
  
Harry smiled. "As long as you don't let your mother know. She's stab me with it if she knew you had one. And I hear the new Whirlwind Triple Blast is excellent. Not too expensive, either. We'll check it out Thursday. Now, I have to go write a report about today's raid. So, if you'll excuse me, I'll go do that."  
  
Jaidon stood up and followed his father out of the room, then watched him walk up the steps to the second floor. Jaidon thought, in that moment, there wasn't a greater wizard on the planet. A greater person, at that. 


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Jaidon awoke to the sound of his mother's voice beckoning him, telling him to get up. He then felt something leap onto his legs and start scratching at the blankets.  
  
"No, Sphinx! Get off!" Ginny shouted, as she picked up a giant mass of black fluff and tossed it down on the floor. The cat hissed, then turned his tail and fled. Ginny sighed. "I swear, that bloody cat is going to destroy everything in this house! Offspring of Crookshanks, no wonder."  
  
Jaidon opened his eyes. His mother had turned on the lamp sitting on his bedside stand. He rubbed his eyes, which hurt from the light.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"It's half-past ten. Time to get up. We have to get to Diagon Alley early so we can get all your school things."  
  
Jaidon started up in bed. Diagon Alley!  
  
He'd seen it numerous times. He'd spent a lot of time there with Uncle Fred and Uncle George, plus their families. He'd always been fascinated by all the wizarding shops. He often found himself in Madam Malkin's Robes for Every Occasion, where his mother worked before Maeve was born. He also liked Flourish and Blotts, which was Leila's favorite store.  
  
"By the way, there's a letter for you on your desk."  
  
"Who's it from?"  
  
"Didn't say. But, since it was sent with some sort of mutated owl, I'd say it was either from Hagrid or Horatio." (Horatio was Hagrid's extremely large son, who was the same age as Jaidon, and he would also be starting at Hogwarts in September.)  
  
Just then, a brown ferret came crashing into the bedroom. In close pursuit was Sphinx, with a ball of brown fur hanging from his teeth.  
  
"Ferret!" Jaidon cried out, getting up to pick his ferret up from the floor.  
  
"SPHINX!" Ginny yelled, shooing the cat away unsuccessfully with her feet. Sphinx, as a sign of protest, bit her around her bare ankle, drawing blood. "Damn it, you stupid cat!" She managed to free herself from the cat's grip. Sphinx then leapt up onto Jaidon's bed and started hissing violently at Ferret, who had buried himself in Jaidon's pajama shirt sleeve.  
  
"Get away, Sphinx," he ordered the cat. "Get away or I'll...I'll...I don't know, but you won't like it!"  
  
Ginny finally managed to pick up the cat by the scruff of his neck and took him out of the room. Jaidon looked sympathetically at Ferret.  
  
"I know, that cat is wicked, Ferret," he said calmly. "Too bad Hedwig is the only one who can keep him under control."  
  
Ferret gave a squeak and dashed out from his shirt sleeve, hit the floor, and ran under the bed to hide.  
  
Jaidon got out of bed and went to pick up the letter. All of a sudden, there came a growling noise, which seemed to originate from the letter itself. With some hesitance, Jaidon picked it up and opened it. It read:  
  
Jaidon,  
  
Got your last letter, mate! Good to hear from you. My mum and dad say it's alright if I come over towards the end of the holidays and stay a few nights. Dad's been really busy training some of the new umdrudges (don't ask). They're in a right state, I'm telling you. They've burned me twice.  
  
Other than that, it's been rather dull around here. Grawp's still complaining about stuff, like the flobberworms not being "ripe" enough to eat. Who'd want to eat them, anyway?  
  
Also, Dad says we're going to meet you and your family in Diagon Alley. So we'll be able to hang out there, and if it's okay with your parents, I can come over after that.  
  
Have to go now. See ya real soon!  
  
Horatio  
  
P.S. - Sorry about the growling paper. Got it from Fred and George. They said it was a real hoot. I think they meant to say it was a real growl.  
  
His uncles' products, of course, were infamous for being a bit troublesome. But they were all pretty successful. Even Ginny appreciated a good laugh via Fred and George.  
  
After breakfast, the family gathered around the old fireplace.  
  
"Do we have to use the Floo stuff?" Maeve whined. "I hate it! It makes me sneeze."  
  
Harry patted her on the shoulder and said, "It doesn't take that long, really. Better way to travel than port keys..."  
  
"Or flying Ford Anglias," Ginny added.  
  
"Alright, alright, Leila, you go first," Harry instructed, ignoring Ginny's comment.  
  
Leila took a fist full of Floo Powder, stepped into the fireplace, and shouted "Diagon Alley" very clearly. A cloud of green smoke rose up around her, and then she vanished. Ginny went next with Maeve, then Jaidon. Harry went last.  
  
Once they were all gathered in Diagon Alley, they set off to find their relatives. They found Fred and George, along with their wives and kids, in their joke shop. It was crammed with young wizards as normal. Fred and Angelina Weasley were trying to pry a dead mouse from the beak of their owl, Thaddeus. George and Katie Weasley were managing the orders that people were filling out. The twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was working the cash register.  
  
"Hey, Jaidon!" called a familiar voice. Jaidon turned to see his cousin, Oz, advancing towards him, carrying a pile of boxes. "How about lending me a hand here? We just got a new shipment of Extendable Ears. Really popular, they are!"  
  
Jaidon took a couple of boxes from Oz. They went to the basement to stock them.  
  
"Bet you're looking forward to starting school," Oz said, shoving a box in a corner.  
  
"Oh yeah," Jaidon replied. "Can't wait for Potions with ol' Snape."  
  
"He gets meaner every year," Oz laughed. "I remember when we used to see him after Order meetings. He would just glare at us. Never really liked us, I believe."  
  
"He hates my dad most of all."  
  
"But why? Why does he hate your dad so much?"  
  
"Dunno. Dad said something once about his dad and Snape not liking each other much when they were at school. Silly rivalries, no doubt."  
  
Oz nodded. "Always between Gryffindors and Slytherins, too."  
  
"I don't know about you, but I don't intend on making any enemies while I'm at school."  
  
"Yeah, I really wouldn't advise it. If some Slytherin git starts stuff with you, just pretend like they're under an Invisibility Cloak or something. That's what I do when that Orion Flint starts calling people Mudbloods. I just think, 'He isn't there'. And it works."  
  
Jaidon chuckled. "So what else am I to except at Hogwarts?"  
  
Oz sighed. "You never really know what to expect, m'lad. That's the best part about attending school there. Never know what the day will bring. But I can tell you what some of the teachers are like. The ones you don't know, I mean. Let's see, there's Wood, he was new last year. Teaches flying."  
  
"You mean Oliver Wood? The Quidditch player?"  
  
"Former Quidditch player. Remember, he retired after breaking his back sixteen times?"  
  
"That's right. So he's good?"  
  
"Well, I can certainly say he's got a lot of enthusiasm. Cried last year when Gryffindor lost the Quidditch Cup to Hufflepuff. We were certain he would fling himself off of the Astronomy tower in despair."  
  
"Wow. What about Defense Against the Dark Arts?"  
  
"Haven't had a proper Dark Arts professor in ages. Dad says Remus Lupin was the best there was. Dark Arts teachers don't seem to last more than a year at Hogwarts. Snape is still applying for the position annually. Flitwick - he's the Charms professor - he's alright. He doesn't give much homework. Professor Binns, the History of Magic teacher, he's a real bore. Last year we studied the Merpeople Evolution. All year. Put me right to sleep every time he talked. Um...who else? Oh, there's Vector and Sinistra, they're decent. And Firenze, the Divination teacher, he's really cool. A bit morbid at times, though, but nothing compared to Snape. Hagrid's classes are exciting though. Always have some blasted Slytherin whining about it though. But Hagrid's great. Then we're getting a new Transfiguration teacher since McGonnagal's been made Headmistress this year. Shame Dumbledore retired. But McGonnagal's fair, you know. She always liked you. Um, there's Longbottom, too - Herbology. He really knows his stuff."  
  
"He was always one of my dad's close friends," Jaidon stated. "They had some stuff in common."  
  
"All having to do with Voldemort, I reckon."  
  
"Yeah. His parents were cursed by Bellatrix Lestrange, the witch who killed Sirius Black. Dad told me about her. He said if he ever got his hands on her, he'd make her regret ever being a Death Eater. Of course, she's gone missing since Voldemort did."  
  
"Fishy, eh? Well, as long as they're not causing havoc, I don't care much. Gives us less to worry about."  
  
"Yeah," Jaidon said quietly.  
  
Just then, Katie Weasley came tumbling down the stairs, having tripped over Thaddeus, who was busy batting the dead mouse around the store.  
  
"Aunt Katie!" they both cried.  
  
Katie hit the landing with a thud. However, she stood up and straightened herself out.  
  
"I'm alright. I'm fine," she said briskly. "No need to panic. It was intentional. Besides, I've had worse."  
  
Jaidon and Oz looked dubiously at each other.  
  
Katie continued, "We're heading off to Flourish and Blotts now. You two coming?"  
  
They both nodded their heads yes.  
  
"Good. We'll be waiting for you outside."  
  
Katie exited, walking with a slight limp in her right leg. Jaidon and Oz followed after her.  
  
Outside, they found everyone waiting for them. Ginny was reciting the tale of Jaidon's jinxing the garden gnomes to Fred, George, Angelina, and Kieran (Fred and Angelina's eldest son, who was sixteen). Fred and George were smirking just from the mention of someone committing mischief. Angelina listened intently, looking rather indifferent. Kieran simply nodded. He was too busy watching a flock of girls going into the joke shop.  
  
"And so, I rush outside and found the gnomes all levitating about ten feet off the ground in a circular motion," Ginny was explaining. "Of course, Harry didn't reprimand him or anything. I fancy he was rather proud that Jaidon did those two spells perfectly. He was practically gloating over Jaidon's achievements - though Jaidon has a warning from the Ministry to show for it."  
  
Fred and George laughed.  
  
"Dearest sister," Fred spoke. "Do you even recall half the things you did when you were young?"  
  
"All the dung bombs you set off?" added George.  
  
"The grind low in the bath tub?"  
  
"The Stink-"  
  
"Oh, for heaven's sake! That's enough, you two!" Ginny cried.  
  
"I daresay Fred and George here had some influence over some of the things you did," Angelina said solemnly. "I know they've taught the kids how to summon dung bombs and levitate them over peoples' heads. And...drop them...such a mess..."  
  
"We were merely testing a theory on gravity..." Fred stated.  
  
"The thing you have to remember," George cut in, "is that kids will be kids. Kids like trouble. Some more than others, naturally. But some just have a flair for wreaking havoc. Hence Fred and myself. And you will remember what Harry, Ron, and Hermione used to do."  
  
"Speaking of the devil," said Angelina. "Here she is."  
  
It was Hermione, dressed in Muggle fashion. She had a trunk full of books in tow. She spotted the group immediately and rushed to greet them.  
  
"Hey, Hermione!" Ginny cried, embracing Hermione in a tight hug. "We haven't seen you in a while. How was France?"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Boring, as always. Can't believe Mum and Dad retired to Paris. Dullest place on earth. Can you imagine?"  
  
Fred and George brushed past Ginny and saluted Hermione gracefully, imitating Percy (who was absent from the party).  
  
"Hermione! Wonderful to see you!" Fred jauntily spoke, grabbing her hand and firmly shaking it.  
  
George cut in. "Simply enchanting!"  
  
Hermione laughed. "Still mocking Percy, eh?" She looked around. "He isn't here?"  
  
"Nope," Ginny replied. The corner of her mouth started to twitch. "He...he is working..."  
  
"Oh. Well, it's good to see you all here anyway! Where were you headed?"  
  
"Flourish and Blotts," Harry said.  
  
"Perfect!" Hermione exclaimed. "I've got some old books I wanted to donate. That's what is in my trunk..."  
  
At that precise moment, her eyes focused on a figure she recognized. In fact, all the adults there recognized that figure, the silvery-blonde haired wizard who was advancing in their direction.  
  
"Malfoy," mumbled Harry. 


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione glared at Draco, who was glaring back. Hatred seemed to boil inside of them both. A resounding, profound hatred.  
  
"I see you still have your ratty hair, Granger," Draco hissed vehemently. "And you still associate with those Weasels?"  
  
The entire Weasley clan sneered at him, ready to pounce on him and tear him to shreds. Luckily for Malfoy, they had the grace to withhold themselves from doing so.  
  
He continued, "Even after what happened with Ronny Boy..." His gaze shifted to Ron, whose face was stark red with a mixture of anger and humiliation. "That someone like him could stoop so low is almost inconceivable, isn't it? And yet I see you haven't shunned him from your family get-togethers. Simply amazing how forgiving you all are. Of course, if it were me he'd betrayed, I would have sent him packed up in a box to Canada."  
  
Harry saw Hermione's hand fishing around inside her robes for her wand. Harry put his own hand on her arm, trying to hint to her not to do anything stupid.  
  
"I'm surprised your father didn't do the same to you," Harry retorted. "I mean, you not becoming a Death Eater just about killed him, didn't it? Didn't feel up to joining Voldemort's crowd?"  
  
Several of the elder Weasleys and Hermione flinched upon hearing the name Voldemort spoken. It didn't affect the younger ones, for Voldemort was before their time. Draco's face contorted into a dismayed, upset one from it's original sneering state.  
  
"How dare you..." Malfoy began to say, but his voice trailed off.  
  
"And how is your dear old dad?" Harry continued. "Last time I heard, he was inches from having his soul sucked away. Did the big mean Dementors give him a kissy-wissy yet, like they did to Bellatrix LeStrange?"  
  
Harry could see this really struck a cord with Malfoy.  
  
Malfoy just grunted and said, "You have no idea, Potter, no idea..."  
  
With that, he turned and swiftly walked away.  
  
Jaidon, who had been standing next to his father the whole time, spoke first. "Dad, who was that?"  
  
Harry turned and faced him, answering quietly, "No one important. Just an old school enemy. His name is Malfoy. He was a Slytherin, of course."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Ginny touched Harry's arm, saying, "Let's not discuss that now. We still have things to do."  
  
Harry nodded in agreement. "Right. Anyway, we should head off to Flourish and Blotts, and then we can stop in at The Leaky Cauldron. Shall we?"  
  
All concurred. The run-in with Malfoy was forgotten.  
  
After purchasing all the necessary books at Flourish and Blotts (and after Hermione had dropped off the ones she was donating), everyone went to The Leaky Cauldron for a warm meal and some much-loved butterbeer. Spirits were heightened.  
  
At one table were Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, and Hermione. Ron, Katie, and Angelina were at the table next to them. Jaidon had taken a seat between Leila and Oz, who were in the middle of a Quidditch discussion. Little Maeve managed to squeeze herself in between Jaidon and Horatio, whom he'd met up with in Flourish and Blotts.  
  
Horatio Hagrid was a giant. Literally. He was only eleven years old, and he was taller than most doors in England. He was also a bit round in the middle, as is typical for a giant or giantess. Horatio was the offspring of two half-giants, and his size was always marveled at. Horatio lived on the grounds of Hogwarts, in an extension of the old castle, with his father and mother. (The house was a bit crowded with even the three of them in it all at once.)  
  
Jaidon saw his older cousins - Kieran, Soleil (a recent graduate of Hogwarts), Josie, Emily, Ethan, Seth, Priscilla, Preston, Françoise, Jean- Luc, and Bianca occupying two tables (that they had pushed together to form one big table) in the middle of the room. They were joined by a tall, good- looking teenager by the name of Marius Shacklebolt, and his younger sister Danica.  
  
Jaidon listened as Leila and Oz were conversing vigorously about how Gryffindor needed to start coming up with some better strategies for winning their games.  
  
"Marius will be wanting us to practice a lot more," Leila sighed. "I know you'll make the team, Oz. We're in need of a new beater, and we also need a chaser and a seeker. I cannot wait for try-outs. I hope that we have more able people try out this year."  
  
"I'm definitely trying out," Oz said. "Too bad Soleil is gone. She was an excellent beater."  
  
"We're going to need to learn more moves if we ever want to beat Slytherin."  
  
"And McGonnagal's counting on Gryffindor taking the Quidditch Cup. It's been fifteen years since we won it last..."  
  
Horatio leaned over the table and said to Jaidon, "You think we'll make it into Gryffindor?"  
  
Jaidon nodded his head yes, even though he wasn't certain himself. "Families usually get sorted into the same house. My mum and dad were in Gryffindor. Leila's in Gryffindor. All my aunts and uncles, and most of my cousins were in it. My grandparents as well. And I'm sure you'll be put in Gryffindor too. You're as brave as they come. You have to deal with all your dad's...massive...creatures..."  
  
Horatio laughed. "That's true, it does require loads of bravery, just waking up every morning, not knowing if a gargantuan bumble bee is about to attack you..."  
  
"Well, let's not worry about being sorted right now," Jaidon replied. "Besides, the Sorting Hat never makes a mistake. My dad says so."  
  
At the table where Harry was seated, there was a deafening silence from both Harry and Hermione. Hermione was reading a pocket-sized version of the book Infamous Aurors of Europe by Zelda Zurbini. Harry sat with his arms folded across his chest, staring into the foam of his butterbeer. Fred and George were explaining to Ginny how to work a Swizzling Skivvies.  
  
"The person who wears them won't know the difference," Fred said. "They look no different than real skivvies. Even Muggles can't tell the difference. Anyway, after about an hour or so of wear, they start making this swishing noise. It will get increasingly louder. Eventually, they will start to form a wedgie..."  
  
"That's got to hurt," said Ginny.  
  
"Well that's the point of it!" exclaimed George.  
  
"And to think people actually buy those things," Ginny sighed.  
  
"Hey! You're the one who bought seven Portable Swamps!" Fred replied. "I mean, they really were popular there for awhile -"  
  
"-after we ditched Hogwarts," added George. "They were in great demand after that."  
  
After they had finished at the Leaky Cauldron, Fred and George said good- bye, having to go back and close up the shop. Ginny was taking Maeve home early, so she left too. Bill and Fleur Weasley had taken their children home as well, since they both had to attend a Gringotts Employee Meeting early the following morning. Horatio Hagrid would be staying with the Potters until school started back up the following Monday.  
  
Harry and Hermione were sitting outside of Ollivander's (the kids were inside looking at wands - Jaidon and Horatio were looking for their own). The silence between them was impenetrable it seemed. Harry hated it. Hermione was his best friend and the only person to really talk to subsequent what happened with Ron. And now, with this unendurable silence between them, they sat there, staring at the ground. Finally, Harry could not stand it anymore. He had to speak, say something - anything!  
  
"So, er..." he started, blundering over his words as he went. "How is that book you're, um, reading?"  
  
"Which one?" Hermione asked quietly, not even taking her eyes off the ground beneath her feet.  
  
"The Infamous Aurors one. Is it any good?"  
  
"It's alright. It has three whole chapters on Mad-Eye Moody."  
  
"Really? He's still alive, isn't he?"  
  
"Oh yeah, he sure is."  
  
"But he's got to be a hundred or so by now."  
  
"You know Moody. He always wants to be around in hopes that someone will attempt to mug him or something."  
  
Harry let out a little laugh. "You're right. I haven't seen him in a long time though. Seems like ages."  
  
"Well, we haven't seen him since before Ron...umm..." Hermione's voice trailed off. She did not want to finish the sentence.  
  
"Betrayed us?"  
  
Hermione nodded her head "yes".  
  
"You know, deep down, I still cannot come to terms with what he did," Harry said, anger rising, his tone of voice getting irate. "I still don't want to believe that one of my best friends in the whole world could just turn like that."  
  
Hermione felt tears swelling in her eyes. She looked over at Ron, who was standing in the window of Ollivander's, with his back turned to them.  
  
"Harry, please, let's not talk about it. Not now," she pleaded.  
  
Harry found he had been clinching his fists, and they were starting to turn white.  
  
"Yeah. I don't think I can talk about it right now," Harry sighed.  
  
At that moment, everyone emerged from the shop. Jaidon was holding out his brand new, 9 ½ cedar wand with a scale of a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon inside it. He was beaming with pride.  
  
"Look, Dad! Isn't it great?!?!" Jaidon cried, hurrying to show his father his new wand.  
  
Harry stood up and straightened himself out.  
  
"There's just one more thing," Harry said. "You need a new broom." He smiled and winked at Jaidon, as if they were buying it in secret.  
  
They walked down to the shop and picket out Jaidon's broom. It was one of the latest models, a Phantom X Firebolt. Harry had not bothered to tell Jaidon exactly how expensive the broom was. He'd made Jaidon wait outside with the others. When Harry emerged from the shop with the broom in his hand, Jaidon could not believe what he was seeing. The Phantom X Firebolt was the best broom. It had a great grip and could get up to unfathomable speeds. It also was covered in a special water-repellant potion guaranteed to last up to 25 years.  
  
"Dad, this is great," Jaidon said happily. "I wish I could try out for Quidditch."  
  
"Imagine," Leila sighed, "the look on the Slytherin team's faces when they see a Phantom X Firebolt. Jaidon, you HAVE to try out. I don't care what McGonagall says about age requirements. I know you're a good keeper and seeker. We could use some talent...and a really awesome broom...we're all stuck on Comet 5000s or worse."  
  
Harry handed the broom to his son. "Seekers run in the family, Jaidon," he whispered into Jaidon's ear. He patted his son on the shoulder and said, "You'll do fine. And don't listen to the whole age requirement thing. I was a first year when I started, and it was all McGonagall's idea."  
  
"Thanks, Dad."  
  
And they walked off into the sunset, catching the last bus for home. 


End file.
